Tag: ecommerce app builder

Covid-19 is without a doubt a game-changer. It has revolutionized everything from inside us to the outside world such that it is becoming necessary to walk with trends if one needs to keep up with the changing market and the Millennials.

Apart from the world populace getting affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; there has been a sea-change in other sectors too and one of the major domains among them is manufacturing. Although each of us felt the push towards online due to the pandemic, the manufacturing industry that was already on its way to converging the physical and digital before the widespread disruptions of 2020, experienced some major systemic changes.

The struggles of maintaining cost-effectiveness while adopting or planning to adopt Industry 4.0 digitization initiatives will end in 2021 and the manufacturing industry will evolve despite the impact of coronavirus. So, let’s take a look at the top five trends that will reshape the manufacturing industry by providing operational visibility, enabling cost reduction, expediting production times, and delivering exceptional customer support.

1. Adoption of Latest Technologies 

Before the pandemic, even though e-commerce was riding on a high note, a majority of selling and buying that happened between the customer and the end client was in-person. Then came the deadly pandemic and jolted the entire way of conducting a business to shopping by customers. The preferred mode of business and shopping became online since that and manufacturers are especially taking a lot of interest in it.

Thanks to the pandemic, the transition to online from offline started taking place more quickly than before and; the manufacturing industry is now on the road to embrace the latest technologies and tricks to stay put in the unprecedented times today and for the uncertain future ahead.

Although there has been economic uncertainty looming large at present, most of the companies, or nearly all, are making the transition or have initiated steps in this direction. AI and machine learning incorporation to automate the process and get intelligible insights into the market trends are picking up pace. While other new technologies like PIM system Eliminate, CPQ, voice commerce, and headless e-commerce have already made headway into the online e-commerce landscape. It is just a matter of time, in the immediate future, before these new technologies would be a day-to-day affair.

Also Read: Why Manufacturers must think of eCommerce Investment and How One Can Scale its Sales Up

2. Supply Chain Technology

The supply chain sector felt the burn during the pandemic the most due to the terrible rise in online shopping. Fearing lockdown and restrictions, the panic buying by people put tremendous pressure on the supply chain management of online businesses. So, in 2021, we can see more of a flexible supply chain system as manufacturing companies have started implementing the latest technologies and strategies in every step of the manufacturing process i.e., procurement, inventory, assembly, logistics, transportation, and sales to scale through the ebb and flow of the current situation.

With effective supply chain management and the latest technologies like AI, machine learning, robotics and automation, Blockchain, IoT, etc. manufacturers can save on costs, deliver products to customers on time, track and improve anything during the process, can reduce operational downtime by finding backup suppliers for the most vital materials, services, or components, stay connected with both suppliers and customers with communication and collaboration tools etc.

3. Real-time Data Integration

Real-time data collection and monitoring can enhance smart manufacturing. It helps the manufacturing process in many ways like you can say goodbye to order errors as the integration of data across platforms bypasses the possibility of a human error in entering data, an increase in equipment efficiency can be achieved, logistics management becomes easy, pursuing greater speed, scale and simplicity across every area of the operations becomes possible etc.

4. Predictive Maintenance

One of the key trends in the manufacturing industry, predictive maintenance helps save a ton of cost and time. A breakdown can happen anytime in equipment, and the time and money one invests behind its repair causes enormous downtime and loss of productivity. Therefore, predicting breakdown, faults or errors in equipment and taking necessary maintenance measures is what predictive maintenance is and; the benefits that follow are – reduced costs, fewer failures, minimized scheduled downtime, optimized parts delivery etc.

With the latest intelligent solutions like IoT, AI, and machine learning, predictive maintenance can help manufacturers dodge downtime by detecting issues even before they arise. It helps them ensure that they are in a healthy working condition to avoid heavy or unplanned expenses in the future. Moreover, monitoring tests can be conducted while equipment is in operation, which means there will be no loss of production due to equipment shutdown.

5. Shifting Focus from B2B to B2C

A manufacturing business does not necessarily have to be B2B; in fact, it is slowly shifting from B2B to B2C and even D2C (Direct to Customer).

Selling to customers is bringing in more appealing benefits for the manufacturing industry than the other way around which is why this trend is going to accelerate further in 2021. Shifting to B2C or D2C for a manufacturing industry means:

Increased Profits: Rather than wholesale prices for their products, companies can get the full manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP).

Faster Time to Market: The lengthy traditional retail sales cycle that requires a company to lock in product development far ahead of order and delivery can be skipped and manufacturers can rapidly prototype, test, and push products to market while achieving a distinct competitive advantage.

Brand Control: The risk of a manufacturer’s brand being diluted or misrepresented by third parties gets eliminated.

Price Control: The MSRP can be reinforced.

Better Customer Data: Manufacturers can collect customer data resulting in better products, stronger relationships, and increased sales.

Final Thoughts

There is uncertainty in the world going back to normal as the pandemic is showing no signs of slowing down. Hence, preparing for the worst and the future is what one must do right now. As per study and statistics, the above-mentioned trends are going to rise and will bring revolution in the manufacturing industry and to survive, as a manufacturer, approaching a prominent ecommerce mobile app development company is the step to be taken at the moment to avoid repenting later.

Now that we have rung in the New Year, one thing is for sure – “mobile” is still very important for consumers and businesses alike! Let us tell you why:

• Google drives 90% of mobile search traffic.
• Users spend 86% of their time on mobile sites on an average with a majority of the time spent on gaming and social media.
• Google mobile app payments amounted to $700mn in just four years where its Pay service also paid a crucial role.

Mobile is now seen as the first digital touch with consumers. It is undoubtedly the new battleground for businesses, and eCommerce brands specifically are leveraging that in a significant way. They are continually looking for new ways to target and engage their customers.

That’s where Progressive Web Applications (PWAs) enter the picture.

Defining PWAs in an age of mobile commerce

(Source – https://www.applozic.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/PWA.png)

Google introduced the PWA technology in 2015 with an aim to create an enhanced website with an app-like functionality, and thus combat the constant problem of app fatigue and poor app discover rates.

The technology is known for a gamut of benefits, including:

1) Improved loading experience

Mobile websites that take more than three seconds to load have already lost 53% of their traffic. To add to it, a 100-millisecond delay can cost 7% of the conversion rate on the website, and that is a number that businesses can’t ignore.

2) Active push notifications

The user gets notified on his or her device even when the progressive web application is not open in any browser. 2.7x more people are likely to open and click a push notification as compared to an email. The feature helps eCommerce brands lock in more conversions. Retail chains like Lancome and Starbucks are known for their excellent PWA-enabled sites. Ever browsed through them?

3) Better internet discoverability

The end goal for any business is to get discovered by their customers. A progressive web app is easily discoverable by search engines because it’s full of content and if appropriately optimized, a web app can fetch good search results.

4) Offline usage

(source – https://brooklynseo.nyc/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web-design-brooklyn-cg-media-692×576.jpg

Whatever content is downloaded on the web app works even when the device is not connected to any Wi-Fi with the support of a Service Worker which is a script that the browser runs separately in the background. This means your customers can even access your PWA-enabled site in locations with spotty internet connectivity.

5) App-like navigation

The UX and UI of a PWA are similar to a mobile app, but here, you don’t need to search for it in the app store and download it to use it. It’s fully responsive and eliminates any lags or jerky transitions to ensure a smooth user interaction.

A PWA is served via HTTPS to ensure the web content isn’t tampered with and to prevent snooping.

How PWAs can help improve eCommerce SEO

(source – https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1600/0*6lsqh6xg_UzpRs9A.png

PWAs leverage technologies like Service Workers, Cache API, Web App Manifests to provide a web experience similar to native mobile apps.

In the last two years, they have proven to get 50% higher conversions for eCommerce brands and helped to improve the customer experience on the web app.

Recommended blog: Why Progressive Web Apps Are Important for Businesses?

George.com, Alibaba, Jumia, eXtra, MakeMyTrip and Flipkart are some of the most popular global brands in the eCommerce industry to have launched a PWA-enabled website. Social sharing platform Pinterest observed an increase in engagement by 60% and a rise in user-generated revenue by 40%.

So how does a PWA affect SEO? In more ways than you can imagine.

1) If an eCommerce PWA, serving contents from multiple resources, uses rel=canonical tags, it avoids any content violations.

2) If a web app page is available through a specific URL that does not make use of any fragment identifiers (#), Google crawls that page often which further helps in search rankings.

3) To ensure that the content of each page on the web app is indexable, it is necessary to use the feature of server-side rendering (SSR). Google’s master tool called Fetch and Render tool tests how Google Bots see and index a page.

4) Since PWAS are identifiable as “apps” thanks to Service Workers and W3C Manifests, it helps search engines to find the progressive web applications better and faster.

5) The number of embedded resources on the pages of a web app is considerably less as compared to a desktop site. This helps in faster loading of the pages. No wonder PWAs load better and quicker!

What’s new in store for PWAs in 2019?

1) Apple has always remained fresh and at the top of their game. However, the tech giant chose to ignore PWAs, when they first came into the picture. However, things have changed and how. Now even iOS devices support the technology as Apple feels PWAs have stood the test of time.

2) Google states PWA compliance standards have secured a perfect score of 100%. According to Mobile Marketer, the mobile conversions of online retailer Luxmart doubled and reached 1.24% since the launch of their PWA-enabled website.

3) Now that major tech companies like Apple and Google are wholeheartedly adopting the technology, it has convinced web developers around the world to write the coding of web apps just once and then deploy to different sites.

Wrapping up

Progressive web apps for Android and iOS are in the making on a massive scale in 2019 – for various industries, and eCommerce is no exception.

MobiCommerce, a progressive web app builder, completely understands if your customers don’t find it easy to purchase your products, you are losing sales to competitors. You need to be where your customers are! We will build a responsive, SEO-optimized PWA for your eCommerce business that enables more consumers to find you easily.

Looking for a one-stop-solution commerce solution? Contact us today, and a member of our staff will reach out to you at the earliest to learn about your requirements.

The evolving e-Commerce industry and the M-commerce boom are set to turn around the face of economy in the middle east. But this exciting transition does not come without its fair share of obstacles. So what are the challenges these industries face?

1. Traditional logistics

Many of the traditional logistics businesses find it hard to create an online presence. In the Middle East, although the potential for e-commerce is high, it remains relatively unexplored largely due to logistical challenges. Automated discovery of delivery location using GPS services is almost impossible since home delivery postal systems do not exist. This in turn requires mobile apps to be able to utilize location services to automatically tag the order location, increasing the investment and time requirement for the development of apps. The under-developed warehouses & stocking points in the region pose another challenge for the e-commerce industries. Since the traditional retail businesses did not require such infrastructure, the initial investment of e-commerce transition for the local industries increases.

The solution?

Retailers have already started adopting omni-channel strategies to solve the investment problem, by utilizing the pre-existing retail outlet infrastructure to serve as warehouses and stocking locations. Better development of e-commerce mobile apps, keeping in mind the above requirements, is another thing to keep in mind.

2. Competitive pricing and customer satisfaction

With further growth of M-commerce, companies tend to focus on the most common customer requirement: price. As per PwC’s 2017 e-commerce report, 40 % of respondents in the region said ‘cheaper price’ is the biggest motivation to buy online. And while that wins the battle for e-commerce industry as a whole, the competition between the existing online retailers and the newer generation of app development is intense, so much so that quality of products and services gets compromised, leading to consumer dissatisfaction, bringing the entire process of customer approval back to square one.

The solution?

As per the KPMG 2017 Global Online Consumer Report, while pricing remained the most common reason why people shopped online, factors like return policies and being a trusted website are far more important for the baby boomer generation, who are biggest spenders and almost as frequent shoppers as the most commonly thought target generation, the millenials. Focusing on customer satisfaction, therefore, becomes more important than blatant lowering of price without consideration of service quality. Safer payment gateways, and more efficient and faster delivery times will serve better to ensure customer satisfaction and increase participation.

3. Communication gap: The hurdles to Loyalty creation

The e-commerce industry, especially the newly developing ones, such as in this region, suffer from a profound lack of loyalty. A very important aspect which allowed traditional brick and mortar services to flourish was direct communication between the seller and buyer, which made the entire process trustworthy, complete with feedback and problem solving, making it an experience the consumer wants to repeat. E-commerce in the region as of now, however, lacks any such interaction. With cheaper pricing and faster delivery being the drivers of consumer satisfaction, loyalty to a single brand becomes a challenge. Another obstacle is incentives. Offline shopping is heavily incentivized, with shops offering membership cards, special discounts and loyalty benefits personalized for each person. Online platforms still suffer from the lack of such incentives.

The solution?

The KPMG 2017 report shows that providing excellent customer support, having loyalty programs and exclusive member offers constituted the 3 major criteria for customer loyalty. Understanding the local demographics and creating content based upon local patterns instead of a globally accepted safe formula is the key to surviving the cut throat e-commerce competition.

4. Omnipresence: Omni-commerce

The concept of omni-channel business is very simple – in theory, at least. Creating a network such that a brand is present everywhere, in all forms, not restricted to just online vs offline conundrum. It has become a business prerequisite to survive in a rapidly developing e-commerce scene. So where do the problems lie?

A. The pure-players (Only e-commerce) and the brick and mortar retailers (who are trying to enter the e-commerce scene) both are at a risk of becoming obsolete if they continue to rake in profits by conventional safe approaches and fail to adapt themselves to the rising consumer expectations. And as of now, no omni-channel experience of substantial quality exists from these industries in the region.

B. Another problem that is being recognized, due to already established omni-channel services globally, is the failure of service providers to integrate the channels to provide a smooth experience.

The solution?

As Martin Simonsen from Implement Consulting Group writes, “the winning solution being the ability to deliver a seamless customer experience in alignment with those needs and simultaneously integrate all channels on relevant platforms, each carefully adjusted to enhance what it does best.”When done well, buyers seamlessly transition from one channel to the next, blissfully falling deeper and deeper into the brand experience.

A research by McKinsey Research and Harvard Business Review showed that Customers who used 4+ channels spent 9% more in the store, on average, when compared to those who used just one cchannel. Aberdeen Group found that companies with omni-channel engagement strategies enjoy an aaverage 9.5% increase in annual revenue, compared with 3.4% and 89% retention rate of their customers vs 33% for companies with weak omni-channel customer engagement. The result? Better revenues, loyalty and market presence.

5. Funding challenges: The start-up bottleneck

How does one of the biggest investor markets in the world become a problem for its own start-ups? Dubai-based Research and Markets estimates that around $165 billion are tied up in venture capital firms, but most of them are non-regional VC funds. Traditionally, Middle Eastern investors have looked at investment opportunities outside of the region, with real estate returns been spectacular around the region, hence the hesitancy to step out of the safe profit zone. Other than that, lack of information about start-ups in the region and doubt of the legitimacy of the project discourages investors. The region suffers from a low credit card penetration, hence setup and payments becomes a costly affair.

The solution?

The investment scene has started to change, more so in face of the changing commerce landscape in the region. Al Tayyar Travel Group, the largest travel company in the region and Majid Al Futtaim Group, a diversified private company, have both invested in startups recently.

Another important option which comes to the fore in midst of unwilling investor is: Crowd-funding. With sky high internet penetration in the region, and increasing investors taking risks, crowd-funding is more important than ever today.

A newer challenge

The GCC introduced a 5% VAT following expensive military campaigns and drop in global oil prices. Introduction of a 5% tax seems pale in comparison to global VAT rates, but poses threat to investments, revenue and spending in the region. The transition to e-commerce for many businesses is now pricier, and so are the services provided by them. However, the VAT tax provides an alternative source of income in the region, and may prove instrumental in providing a safe haven for industrialists and start-ups alike in a future with lower global oil prices.

Conclusion

The MENA region is poised to experience an e-commerce boom despite the challenges faced by the companies. Smart planning, understanding the demographic, the user base and catering to their needs, all the while adopting the concepts of Omni-commerce will prove beneficial both to the retailers transiting to e-commerce and the ones trying to excel in it.

Push Notification is a message that pops-up on your mobile screen sent from an app publishers. Users who downloaded the application get such pops-up as and when an app publisher decides to send it. Here, users need not to be in app to receive such notification.

It is a way to communicate with App users directly without any spam

The purpose of sending such notification is to communicate with users about latest products or offers and bring them back to app store and inspire them to order and buy the products.

Advantages of Push Notification:

• High Visibility
• High Attention rate
• More User Interaction
• Easy Communication

As per the study, Push Notifications boosts app engagement by 88%.

Tips to send Push Notification like a Pro,

• Avoid being pushy
• Consider it as a privilege to communicate and not a right
• Hit the right target
• Strategize the time and message to get best result

With passing years, there is a noticeable change observed in the trends and patterns of the ecommerce industries. Ecommerce is no more confined to developing an ecommerce app and website. It has grown more. Convenience and demands of the consumers are the main factors which have led to the emergence of new concept called Subscription Commerce.

Basic Concept of Subscription Commerce

Well “Subscription” is new for ecommerce industry but it has a strong presence in the traditional format such as subscription of newspaper, magazines, TV channel subscription and many more. With the benefits experienced in it, it has now been introduced on consumer demands for online retail too which may incur many advantages through it.

Advantages of Subscription Commerce for Customers

1) Ease of ordering: Subscription commerce gives convenience to order the products or services instantly. Once you subscribe, you can enjoy the perks of receiving orders every month without ordering or reordering it again and again.

For e.g. Vegetables and groceries is something which need to be ordered on daily basis. Customers can easily subscribe for repeat orders and get them delivered daily without placing the order every day.

2) Timely Delivery: Get your products delivered timely every day, every month or every week without fail.

For e.g. Aged people can get their medicines delivered every month on time without any reminders or calls to the chemists.

Not only from the customer’s perspective, it is advantageous from retailer’s perspective too.

Advantages of Subscription Commerce for Retailers

1) Engage the customers: Post installing your app, its quiet difficult to keep your user engaged. Subscription Ecommerce can be one of the ways to remind them about you every month, week or quarter.

2) Long term relationship with the customer: Subscription business gives retailers the ability to communicate with their customers very often and a strong and long term relationship with them.

3) Affordable retention rate: When your customer subscribe for your products/services, the effort to bring them back is almost null. You do not have to spend on display retargeting, social, email, etc. to bring them back because they will automatically buy from you either every week, month or quarter which means you have lower or almost no retention cost.

4) High margins: You earn higher margins as the cost on the subscribed customer is almost zero and the revenue earned via them is fixed at regular intervals.

5) Stock forecasting: With knowing the orders well in advance, you get a better idea of how much to stock for future orders and there won’t be any wastage. You get the full- fledged order predictability.

6) Brand building: If a customer receives order on recurring basis, your brand becomes the part of their routine life, and further it can help in spreading a word about your brand. They can also promote your products and services indirectly via social media.

7) Consistent monthly revenue: Get a stable revenue graph with fixed monthly, weekly or quarterly revenue.

Apart from the above advantages, one of the biggest advantages is that acquiring a new customer in Subscription ecommerce means you hold a customer for a longer duration, rather than just a one-time purchase.

Recommended Blog: 8 Must Try Marketing Strategies While Launching Your eCommerce Store

Subscription commerce works well with only few industries. It doesn’t fit well for the industries like fashion, accessories, restaurants and electronics. But there are few industries that can earn maximum out of it.

Venturing an ecommerce start up is no different than any conventional commerce start up. The rules applied are the same, particularly with regards to finances. You need to make investment (substantial or not) to start your business before expecting any returns. Many a time it happens that despite having a really sound business strategy, one lacks the finances to launch it. How does one acquire those finances to fuel one’s vision without compromising on most part? Below are a few of those ways

1. Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding websites are frequented by investors looking for business startups asking for startup capital. You need to keep in your mind while campaigning to finance your business that you not only have a monetary goal but also a time goal. Don’t forget to add PDF document detailing your business plan in the description. You can surpass your monetary goal far too easily and early if you do your crowdfunding campaign right.

2. Venture Capitalist Investment

Of late the VCs (Venture capitalists) have been frugal with their purses and start ups haven’t been receiving much funding from them. In 2016’s first quarter, it was found that venture capitalists spent 25-percent less than the previous quarter . Approaching the VCs should be done with complete preparedness, your plan business plan should be detailed enough to tell them what you expect your brand to earn in its first year and in 5 years and so on.

Recommended Blog: 8 eCommerce Strategies for Building Trust through Branding

3. Personal Savings

This is a very safe option to go with as it has no complication and costly application, no interest payment and you don’t have to lose stake in your business. Personal savings are also called as bootstrapping. This is the preferred option when the returns on your money are low and borrowing cost is high. You also have the option of borrowing from your retirement plan (401(k)) but making withdrawal from it before 59.5 years of age can lead to steep penalties. Also it is advisable to not dry your rainy day funds.

4. Angel Investors

Opening an online store is easier than ever. There are dozens of great e-commerce platforms that allow merchants with no coding experience to build up and run complex online store systems and reach customers from all around the world.

Since the use of mobile internet also saw a huge increase in recent years, many business owners decide to optimize their online stores for mobile users. This is another process that’s simplified by latest tech and platforms like MobiCommerce – ecommerce mobile app builder, which enable e-commerce beginners to easily target consumers who use mobile internet.

In this article we will analyze benefits that e-commerce brings to small local businesses and give you 6 reasons why you should add an online store to your business strategy

1. E-commerce overcomes geographic limitations

If you want local store to become global, you should upload its offer to a web server. Traditionally local businesses are targeting customers who live or work nearby, while online stores give them the chance to overcome geographic limitations and present their offer to people all around the world. Of course even online stores have their limitations when it comes to customer reach, and these are mostly determined by country customs and shipping rates. Even with these limitations ecommerce drastically increases business’ customer pool.

2. Online stores cut your HR spending

Online retail business could be easily run by one person. Physical stores on the other hand require at least one person per shift, who can’t leave the store during several hours. Bigger stores also require additional workforce that will cover security, bookkeeping, storing and merchandising tasks. Online stores that are run by production companies, don’t even need to hire additional staff.

3. Online stores can use less expensive ways of promotion

Internet retail entrepreneurs are usually much more open to new technologies, which means they use all benefits digital marketing brings. Online merchants usually share their offers directly on social networks and attract more customers with less expensive marketing strategies which include the use of search engine optimization, Google AdWords, local business mobile apps, Facebook Ads etc.

4. Online store requires less space and guarantees a smaller rent

E-commerce works on completely different premise and the whole project can be easily run from home or a garage. One of the reasons for this, is the fact that these stores use website’s product pages as their exhibition area. They also don’t need bigger storage space, because customers who shop in online stores are accustomed to shorter or longer waiting periods. This means that store owner can use this period to obtain ordered item or even to produce it (if the store is connected to production plant). Physical stores on the other hand need to have all of their goods ready and packed, because customers expect to walk out from the store with a product they just purchased.

5. They are open 24/7

Internet works 24/7, and online stores are no different. The moment after your neighbor goes to sleep, some college kid is just making a break from studying, by browsing stuff he/she would like to buy. This brings benefits to both merchants and customers. Merchants will receive more orders, and customer won’t need to rush after work or school and think whether their favorite shop is going to close.

6. Online stores save customer’s time and money

Most online stores offer free shipping, at least in local area, which drastically decreases customer spending. Location based stores require customers to spend time, money and gas in order to buy their favorite item, while online stores bring goods directly at their door. That’s probably one of the reasons why ecommerce is one of the fastest growing internet businesses in recent years.

In the end we should also mention a few disadvantages online stores come with. First and the most important lack of online shopping app concept is the fact that customer can’t see the item before it arrives to their address. Merchants solved this puzzle by uploading sharp, high-resolution imagery and providing extensive information about the product on their product pages. Some of them went few steps further introducing 360 degrees product view, adding links to manufacturer’s website or sending product samples to potential customers. This and many other similar practices will make your online store more competitive and popular among consumers.